Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed: Looking back on a year of perseverance

Although the latest news is disappointing, we only need to look at where we were a year ago to know that we will get through this challenging time.

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As 2021 draws to a close, some of us still wonder where 2020 went. The past two years have been challenging, to say the least, but through it all, we have adapted and grown. We have come together to take care of our friends, family and neighbors. We have cried together and we have celebrated together.

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And now, the virus is spreading like wildfire. This week alone, I have heard of too many friends who have contracted COVID-19. This news has brought fear and anxiety. It has also forced me to reevaluate whether the public health precautions we had been following were sufficient.

My family had made reservations to meet friends for Christmas dinners at some of our favorite restaurants. Unfortunately we canceled reservations after press conferences earlier in the week. However, I did see some great ideas online that are worth sharing. For example, a person posted that if you cancel a large reservation at a restaurant, you might consider taking half the amount you would have spent and gifting it to the people who would have been your guests (in the form of gift certificates for that restaurant), and donate the other half to buy meals at the restaurant for those in need. I found this brilliant idea. He spoke of the spirit of the holiday season, as well as the importance of supporting our local businesses, something very dear to my heart.

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We started the year with a closure and a curfew, and although we all complained and many complained, we made it. We turned our lives and schedules around as needed.

Many of us with children in school advocate for the option of attending online. However, we took a turn when that option was only available to those with a medical exemption. It was frustrating, but we persevered.

We made sure our children ran out of much-needed extracurricular sports. They fought a lot in some cases, but again, we did it.

We face the March recess, travel uncertainties, and expanded public health measures.

I joined Muslim families around the world to celebrate our second Ramadan and two Eid celebrations amid the pandemic. Again, we pivot; We did porch tours, outdoor social gatherings in parks, and video calls with our loved ones. It was not easy, but it was necessary.

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When the curfew was postponed, many of us resumed our night walks.

Once the rules were further relaxed, many of us gleefully jumped into plans of misconception. Others proceeded cautiously, and still others, primarily those who had lost loved ones to COVID, chose not to lose focus at all. We came to understand that not all of us needed to react in the same way. We all weathered the same storm, but each in our own unique boat.

We hosted and met friends and family outdoors during the summer as much as possible. For some, it meant gathering in the backyard and for others, gathering in local parks. He made this pandemic bearable and brought joy into our lives.

The return to school was greeted with caution as class sizes returned to normal and classroom bubbles were eliminated.

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Now, we are staring at the Christmas break and accepting the re-imposition of restrictions. It may seem that we have returned to the starting point. This is very daunting, of course, but we only need to look at where we were a year ago to know that we will get through it at this challenging time.

So wherever you are and however you are spending this vacation period, be safe, be vigilant and be careful. I’ll see you back here in January. Happy Holidays.

Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of CanadianMomEh.com, a lifestyle blog.

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